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Where Right-Libertarianism Goes Wrong

Geoist

Geoist

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The following article does a great job critiquing American libertarianism (aka right-libertarianism), especially on the issues of corporate apologetics and racism/bigotry.

Here are a few choice quotes:

Many libertarians (myself included) have fallen victim to the false dichotomy that whatever is not ‘the state’ is the free-market. The corporations we defend are not free-market entities, they are creatures of the state, endowed with privileges; lip-service condemnations of corporate welfare will simply not suffice. Corporations are not leading the defence of the free market against the state; the corporate-state complex is pulling a con-trick on society. Libertarians rightly oppose statist liberalism, but we must not fall into the trap of siding with “pro-business” conservatives either, we must consistently make the case for a genuinely free-market alternative.


In our rigged economy, the relationship between labour and capital, between worker and corporation, is hopelessly skewed in one direction – in favour of the bosses. Yet despite this, Right-Libertarians too often instinctively side with bosses over workers; Unions wanting better pay or conditions for their members are derided as causing economic inefficiencies, yet seven figure sums for CEOs is staunchly defended as though it were a free-market pay rate.

Libertarians rightly defend the principle of freedom of association and the rights of people to their opinions, no matter how abhorrent, but we should be just as strident in condemning those views as we are in defending people’s right to hold them.

Where Right-Libertarianism Goes Wrong
 
I don't think I have ever seen a right-libertarian defend incorporation. I have also never seen a right-libertarian defend capital over labor. What people usually want right-libertarians to do is provide labor all sorts of government provided advantages over capital that fundamental violate human rights. It should be no surprise to anyone that right-libertarians reject such a proposal.
 
The problems with right-libertarianism go much deeper than that, but still a good article.
 
fedup said:
The problems with right-libertarianism go much deeper than that, but still a good article.
Click to expand...

If you're anything like Noam Chomsky one of the reasons is that unlike traditional libertarianism that supports no authority(his own words), American libertarianism supports hierarchies and authority in the private sphere.
 
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Henrin said:
I don't think I have ever seen a right-libertarian defend incorporation.
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Big business apologetics is what American libertarianism is known for. Sure, they argue that if we had "purer capitalism" then the corporations would be smaller, but they are constantly jumping to the defense of corporations and their exploitative policies. Here is one example.


I have also never seen a right-libertarian defend capital over labor.
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The hostility towards unions would suggest otherwise.
 
Libertarians don't support crony capitalism. this is not an open market, but a rigged one.
 
ReverendHellh0und said:
Libertarians don't support crony capitalism.
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They almost always say so, but then fall victim to being apologists for that crony capitalism. As Kevin Carson notes, "we get [a] standard boilerplate article… arguing that the rich can’t get rich at the expense of the poor, because 'that’s not how the free market works'— implicitly assuming that this is a free market."
Center for a Stateless Society » What do you mean by “vulgar libertarianism?” What is “conflationism?”


this is not an open market, but a rigged one.
Click to expand...

Agreed. So why are many American libertarians quick to defend the very corporations who help rig that market?
 
Geoist said:
They almost always say so, but then fall victim to being apologists for that crony capitalism. As Kevin Carson notes, "we get [a] standard boilerplate article… arguing that the rich can’t get rich at the expense of the poor, because 'that’s not how the free market works'— implicitly assuming that this is a free market."
Center for a Stateless Society » What do you mean by “vulgar libertarianism?” What is “conflationism?”




Agreed. So why are many American libertarians quick to defend the very corporations who help rig that market?
Click to expand...




Lets pretend I read your article and say that guy is truly suggesting that the capitalist market we have now, is a free market, not a cronie capitalist closed market.


That's one guy.
 
Geoist said:
The following article does a great job critiquing American libertarianism (aka right-libertarianism), especially on the issues of corporate apologetics and racism/bigotry.

Here are a few choice quotes:

Many libertarians (myself included) have fallen victim to the false dichotomy that whatever is not ‘the state’ is the free-market. The corporations we defend are not free-market entities, they are creatures of the state, endowed with privileges; lip-service condemnations of corporate welfare will simply not suffice. Corporations are not leading the defence of the free market against the state; the corporate-state complex is pulling a con-trick on society. Libertarians rightly oppose statist liberalism, but we must not fall into the trap of siding with “pro-business” conservatives either, we must consistently make the case for a genuinely free-market alternative.


In our rigged economy, the relationship between labour and capital, between worker and corporation, is hopelessly skewed in one direction – in favour of the bosses. Yet despite this, Right-Libertarians too often instinctively side with bosses over workers; Unions wanting better pay or conditions for their members are derided as causing economic inefficiencies, yet seven figure sums for CEOs is staunchly defended as though it were a free-market pay rate.

Libertarians rightly defend the principle of freedom of association and the rights of people to their opinions, no matter how abhorrent, but we should be just as strident in condemning those views as we are in defending people’s right to hold them.

Where Right-Libertarianism Goes Wrong
Click to expand...



when confronted with a problem between two or more people /entities........the first question i ask is.........."who's property are we talking about".........that gives me my answer.
 
ernst barkmann said:
when confronted with a problem between two or more people /entities........the first question i ask is.........."who's property are we talking about".........that gives me my answer.
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But that is the black-and-white thinking that right-libertarians fall victim to. It goes far beyond "who's property is who's." Right-libertarians usually don't ask the questions "How was the property acquired?" "Were there certain privileges given to the person/organization to acquire the property?" "How much of a role does the subsidy of history play today?" I swear, if we were living in medieval Europe, the right-libertarians would side with the landlords and condemn the peasants for revolting.
 
ReverendHellh0und said:
Lets pretend I read your article and say that guy is truly suggesting that the capitalist market we have now, is a free market, not a cronie capitalist closed market.


That's one guy.
Click to expand...

First off, the author is not saying we have a freed market. Secondly, you pretty much ignored my whole response.
 
Geoist said:
But that is the black-and-white thinking that right-libertarians fall victim to. It goes far beyond "who's property is who's." Right-libertarians usually don't ask the questions "How was the property acquired?" "Were there certain privileges given to the person/organization to acquire the property?" "How much of a role does the subsidy of history play today?" I swear, if we were living in medieval Europe, the right-libertarians would side with the landlords and condemn the peasants for revolting.
Click to expand...

sure... i think of how property is acquired... does fall within law, meaning does it violate rights of others or threaten the heath and safety of the public...if it does not its legal.

things i dont care about are emotions/ feelings of people concerning interpreting the law.

from my stand point everything about a person including the body itself....is property.
 
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